In fifth grade, Johnny was asked by his teacher what he wanted to be when he grew up? He said: “A baseball catcher” and everyone laughed. In eighth grade, he was asked a similar question and he replied: “A baseball catcher” and half the class laughed. After help winning the State Baseball Title his senior year when asked again what he wanted to do with his life he replied: “A baseball catcher” and NO ONE laughed. HALL OF FAMER Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds dreamed it, believed it and achieved it. They say: “Seeing is believing” but the Bible teaches us that by believing we SEE.

A milkman was delivering milk on his route and saw a cute, six year old blonde with big blue eyes. As he approached the door to her home as she played jump rope in front of her rambler he waived and said: “HELLO MISS AMERICA.” She smiled as big as Georgia and continued to dance in front of her house. Day after day, week after week, month after month, whenever the man saw the girl on his route he did the same routine: “HELLO MISS AMERICA”

Eventually, he was re-assigned and the “customer service” became obsolete and daily deliveries became a thing of the past. A decade and a half later, that young blonde was no longer a girl but a beautiful woman from the Peach State. Regardless, if the milkman really saw something in that little girl is unknown but the fact is that she grew up to be Miss America!!!

Friends, the Bible says we find LIFE & DEATH in the power of the tongue. Outside of grave-robbers I cannot think of anyone with less class than folks who discourage others from chasing their dreams and God given calling. It is a “small” person who cannot exhort and encourage the life of another. I love that quote:”Never belittle another because it makes you BE LITTLE too!” God gave me this quote years ago. “Never mock the dream of another. For one, it immediately makes you look “small” then and will embarrass you later when they make it BIG!”

May we be mindful that regardless if we are talking dreams or denominations that the sole is the most important part of the shoe. Ironically, the soul is the most important part of the body. Jesus’ sole mission is souls! It really doesn’t matter what denominations we are laced but since life and death are found in our tongues may we concentrate more on lost souls and less on tearing each other down (regardless if theology differ or making fun of the gifts or dreams of another). Dr. Johnny Hunt recently said: “The mirror reflects without speaking, the fool speaks without reflecting.”

For years, I was taught from church that dreaming was prideful, demonic and not of God. Wow, they were sincere but sincerely wrong! The Bible talks about dreaming dreams and what is a travesty is not if our dreams never come true but we were instructed to never dream from the start. WHAT IS YOUR DREAM? What is your calling? Dare to do what the Lord has impregnated you with. God didn’t design you to abort your dreams but give birth to contagious, CREATIVE and Christ-honoring gifts that will honor Him and bless mankind! My alma-mater, Gardner-Webb Univ had a building campaign motto while I was a student: Dream.Dare.Do!

THE KEY IS to do it for God’s Glory and give Him all the credit in the process. Habbakuk (OT book in Bible) noted clearly to “WRITE THE VISION (dream) down.” Friends, “If you always do what you always did – then you will always get what you always got!”

While a student in high school, when I wasn’t doodling cars or daydreaming about girls I would honestly draw on paper a picture of me speaking at outdoor Christian concerts and crusades. Satan would whisper in my ear at first that it was dumb to draw that. He said it would never happen! Then he made me feel wrong as if it were all about me. FOR THE RECORD most teenage boys in a public school DON’T desire to speak (much less at Christian events)! Looking back that was not only a dream but a calling that God was instilling in me. Plus, when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He gives us the DESIRES (dreams) of our heart. Make no mistake, when we get so lost in Jesus then we FIND who we are and what we are supposed to do in this Game called LIFE!

Satan is the accuser of the brethren and both he and sometimes close associates to you (family or friends) may discourage you from chasing the call of God on your life. After graduating from high school, I was elected the President of the Student Christian Fellowship at the community college I attended. At that time, I got out another paper and began to write the names of various states that I would love to preach at. THE BLESSING ABOUT A DREAM is that they are FREE but will cost you to pursue them.

The Road to Success is filled with TOLL BOOTHS – the key is are you willing to pay the price to make your dreams a reality? One of my favorite quotes is “When your down to nothing – God is UP to something!” I began to also write the names of ministers I would love to meet and minister with. The crazy thing about dreams is when you are down you only have one direction to look – UP!

So I got out a paper and began to write cities, states, countries and various leaders (politically and in ministry) that I would love to work with. LONG STORY short over 80% of those towns have come to pass and probably 90% of the leaders are a reality and actually friends. God has been way too good to me. This post is not intended to say “look at me” but GO GOD!!! I love that hymn: “IT IS NO SECRET, What God can do! What He’s done for others – HE WILL DO FOR YOU!”

“To God Be The Glory – Great Things HE HATH DONE.” Success is in salvation and living for the Lord. Nothing more – nothing less. It was said that Ruth Graham knew more Bible than Billy. What a compliment! My wife, Ruth is an angel from God and I am honored and humbled to be her husband. God has blessed me with wonderful parents who honor Christ by their life and lips on a daily basis. God has blessed me with some wonderful mentors. I believe mentor could or should be spelled menTON because their worth and weight weighs a TON! A mentor can do more for you in a day than you could do in a year on your own. However, a mentor can never be a substitute for The Master (Jesus). The Holy Spirit is always the Greatest Teacher and you cannot lose when you tap into the Lord.

Friends, dare to be different but even better – be obedient! Trust God with your treasures but remember that dreams are like babies – you cannot trust them with just anyone! Some of our best dreams are best kept a secret between God and you! However, you can share some special nuggets with some “TRUE” friends who will hold you accountable and motivated to seek the call of God on your life.

THE WORD of the DAY is “You dont have to be the best but do your best and God will do the rest. The test is giving God your very best!” Please continue to pray for my family as we continue to seek Jesus daily for His Will in our lives. It will be 31 years this July (age 7) that I have been walking with God. We have certainly not “arrived” but praise God and by God’s grace the plane took off and we are soaring for the Savior, rolling for the Redeemer and three decades later still trying to point people to a personal relationship with Christ.

In closing, Pastor John Osteen (Joel’s father), founder of LAKEWOOD CHURCH said in the 1950’s: “Great it is to dream the dream when you stand in youth by the starry stream. But a greater thing is to fight life through, and say at the end ‘the Dream is true.’

Dr Martin Luther King had a Dream. Walt Disney had a dream. I have learned all the greats have a dream – what is yours? Vision + Values = VICTORY when we do what Jesus compels us to do. DARE TO DREAM because it becomes a nightmare for those who didnt dare do what God called them to do. Don’t delay – walk it out with God today.